“Well, here is some one coming who is not running,” cried Kitty, laughing.
“The walking picture of Cleverness,” the naughty sprite chuckled.
If it was a little old man or a very old-looking boy who now approached Kitty could not determine. He wore a pair of blue spectacles astride upon his hooked nose, which jutted out over very thin lips, and was rather blue and frost-bitten. Altogether he was uncommonly like an owl, Kitty thought. Whoever he was, this personage walked slowly, holding a sun-shade open in one hand, and a warm overcoat slung over his other arm. He was apparently prepared to meet every sort of weather. Kitty noticed also that his ears were stuffed with cotton-wool.
“Well,” she said aloud, addressing nobody in particular, and with a broad smile, “this must be Mr. Take-care-of-himself.”
“An excellent name,” answered the little old man, or the very old-looking boy. The cotton-wool in his ears did not seem to deafen sound. “And I would advise you to deserve such a name.”
“Not if I must wear those big spectacles to deserve it,” laughed Kitty.
“Don’t say a word against my spectacles till you have looked through them,” answered her new acquaintance.
He had a cold, crisp voice, and he seemed to peck his words as a fowl pecks grain. From his pocket he pulled out another pair of blue glasses. “Just try this pair and tell me what you see.”
“Don’t!” whispered the guardian child.